E-mail: zhanna-yusha@yandex.ru
Tel.: +7 (812) 328-08-11
3, Universitetskaya emb., St. Petersburg, 199034, Russian Federation
DSc in Philology, Leading Research Fellow, Department of Ethnography of Siberia, Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography Peter the Great (Kunstkamera), Russian Academy of Sciences
Based on both published and new field materials, this article describes important historical events of the twentieth century that occurred in the life of Mongolian Tukha reindeer herders and analyzes the current state of this ethnic group, which is poorly studied. It examines the departure of reindeer herders from Tuva to the Khubsugul Aimag of Mongolia , and identifies its key socio-economic causes. It also analyzes the current state of the group, its self-designation and identity, and provides information about the ethnic composition of the Tukh and their number. Attention is paid to the newly formed ethnonym “tsaatan,”meaning of “having deer,” which is common in Mongolia to refer to reindeer herders who take part in economic activities different from Mongolian cattle breeders. The article notes the commitment of reindeer herders to the shamanic tradition despite the efforts of Korean missionaries to convert them to another faith. It also describes the difficulties of the linguistic situation of a small group in an alien environment: the loss of their native language by children; the bilingualism of the middle and older generations; the peculiarities of naming in two languages (in their native tongue and Mongolian); and the use of place names in their native language. Finally, the author describes the preservation and variability of some mythological conceptions and ritual practices among the reindeer herders in conditions of the modern enclave; these are shown by comparison with the Tere-Khol Tuvans using the example of the mythological character Badykshan and calendar celebrations and rituals
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